Job Title: Director of IT Engineering
Reports to: VP of Digital Operations (Dave Mack)
Location: REMOTE with travel to headquarters and multi-site locations (e.g., restoration branches)
Department: Information Technology
About the Role The Director of IT Engineering is a strategic and hands-on leadership position responsible for overseeing the entire information technology function at ARO. This role ensures IT systems, infrastructure, networks, applications, and services are secure, scalable, and fully aligned with business objectives—particularly supporting operational efficiency, rapid revenue capture, multi-brand integrations (e.g., Albiware ERP), and the Operational Center for Excellence (CoE). The Director drives technology strategy, manages budgets and vendors, fosters innovation (including AI agents and automation), and leads a high-performing IT team while providing technical oversight and engineering support as needed in a dynamic, multi-site restoration environment.
Minimum Qualifications
- Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Information Technology, Management Information Systems, or a related field (Master’s preferred).
- 5+ years of progressive IT experience, with at least 3 years in leadership/management roles.
- Proven track record developing and executing IT strategies, managing large-scale projects (e.g., ERP/CRM migrations, cloud transitions).
- Strong technical knowledge of IT infrastructure (networks, servers, cloud platforms), cybersecurity best practices, enterprise software (ERP/CRM), and data management.
- Demonstrated ability to build, lead, mentor, and develop high-performing IT teams.
Preferred Qualifications
- Relevant certifications: CISSP, CISM, PMP, ITIL, CCNA/CCNP, AWS/Azure certifications, or similar.
- Experience in multi-site or field-service industries helpful but not required (e.g., restoration, construction, property services).
- Hands-on experience with cloud platforms (AWS, Azure, Google Cloud), API integrations, data analytics tools, and emerging technologies like AI agents/automation.
- Strong financial acumen: Managing $1m + IT budgets, vendor negotiations, and ROI analysis for tech investments.
- Familiarity with compliance in regulated environments (e.g., data privacy, workers' compensation recordkeeping systems).
Key Responsibilities
- Develop and execute a comprehensive IT strategy aligned with ARO’s growth goals, CoE initiatives, and industry trends (e.g., digital transformation in restoration).
- Lead the IT department: Hire, mentor, evaluate, and develop staff; foster a culture of innovation, accountability, and continuous improvement.
- Oversee end-to-end IT infrastructure: Design, implement, maintain, and secure networks, servers, cloud environments, endpoints, and mobile/field devices.
- Manage IT budgets, vendor contracts, and procurement to ensure cost-efficiency, high service quality, and alignment with financial targets (e.g., cost-neutral Year 1 implementations).
- Champion cybersecurity, risk management, disaster recovery, business continuity, and compliance (e.g., data security for client/project records).
- Collaborate with executive leadership, operations, finance, sales, and field teams to identify needs, prioritize projects, and deliver solutions (e.g., ERP/CRM integrations, mobile apps for estimators/inspectors).
- Monitor emerging technologies (AI agents, automation, IoT for field ops) and recommend/implement improvements to enhance productivity, reporting accuracy, and competitive advantage.
- Drive continuous improvement: Lead root-cause analysis, system optimizations, and KPI tracking (e.g., system uptime >99.9%, adoption rates, cost savings).
Hands-On Technical / IT Engineer Responsibilities (Critical in our environment)
- Provide direct technical leadership and hands-on support during critical phases (e.g., migrations from legacy systems like DASH/Luxor to Albiware, troubleshooting field connectivity issues).
- Design and implement network infrastructure, including secure VPNs, wireless setups for job sites, and hybrid cloud/on-prem environments.
- Perform system administration, patching, monitoring, and performance tuning for servers, databases, and applications.
- Lead or directly handle integrations (APIs, middleware) between core systems (e.g., Sage accounting, Xactimate, Albiware).
- Conduct security assessments, implement zero-trust controls, manage firewalls/endpoint protection, and respond to incidents/threats.
- Support end-user computing: Deploy and manage devices (laptops, mobiles for field techs), troubleshoot issues, and ensure rapid resolution for operational continuity.
- Develop and maintain disaster recovery plans, perform backups/restores, and test failover procedures.
- Mentor junior IT staff on engineering best practices and participate in on-call rotation as needed.
Required Skills & Competencies
- Leadership & Strategic Thinking: Ability to translate business needs into technology roadmaps and lead change management.
- Technical Expertise: Deep knowledge of infrastructure (cloud/on-prem), networking, cybersecurity, ERP/CRM systems, and scripting/automation tools.
- Hands-On Engineering Proficiency: Comfortable rolling up sleeves for configuration, troubleshooting, and implementation—especially in multi-site/field scenarios.
- Communication & Collaboration: Excellent interpersonal skills for partnering with non-technical stakeholders, vendors, and executives.
- Financial & Project Management: Budgeting, vendor negotiation, ROI analysis, and PMP-like project execution.
- Problem-Solving & Innovation: Analytical mindset to resolve complex issues and drive adoption of emerging tech (e.g., AI for process automation).
